Fugitive Phone-Ins But No Thaksin At Sunday's Red-Shirt Rallies

[webfact]

COUP ANNIVERSARY

Fugitive phone-ins but no Thaksin at red-shirt rallies

By The Nation

Jakrapob

Sunday's red-shirt protest in Chiang Mai is expected to draw some 10,000 followers, even though ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra has cancelled his video address to avoid criticism from opponents.

"The rally is designed to promote the people's struggle against the coup and Thaksin will have no involvement in it because he has suffered enough as a political victim," Sriwan Chanpong, one of the organisers, said yesterday.

Despite Thaksin's absence, several colourful highlights are scheduled, including phone-ins by fugitive leaders like Jakrapob Penkair and Arisman Pongruangrong, to raise awareness of the September 19, 2006 coup, Sriwan said.

Under the theme of "Sept 19: Eye-opener Across the Land", the activities will begin on Saturday with a cavalcade leaving red-shirt headquarters on Lat Phrao Road in Bangkok.

The procession is due to arrive at the northern province in the evening, when a welcoming ceremony is planned at the Three Kings statue in Muang district.

Sunday's programme will kick off with a march on Khu Mueang Road along the Chiang Mai moat, featuring a mock execution of those responsible for the May 19 crackdown on the red shirts in Bangkok. The procession will end at Chiang Mai Stadium, the designated rally site.

Keynote speakers including former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan will rouse the crowd from 6pm to midnight.

In staging the rally, organisers have outlined four demands - release political prisoners in custody since the 2006 power seizure, reform the judiciary to introduce trial by jury, retool the economy as a welfare state and close the income-disparity gap and institute a price guarantee for farm products.

Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat said provincial authorities were prepared to closely monitor the rally for any disturbances although there was no report indicating the possibility of violence.

Police have beefed up security in the face of the reds coordinating their activities in Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

Metropolitan Police chief Lt General Santhan Chayanont voiced concern over a report that men in black were training in Cambodia with the aim of inciting violence in the capital this weekend. Police were checking the report and bracing for any eventuality, he said.

Police will coordinate with prison wardens to ensure no disorder when the red shirts lay flowers at the holding facilities for the red leaders facing various charges, he said.

The reds also plan to hold several rites at places that saw bloodshed during the unrest, such as Pathum Wanaram Temple, he said.

To keep peace at all venues where the reds plan to demonstrate, including Rajprasong Intersection and Thammasat University, 1,290 anti-riot police will be deployed and 1,740 will be on stand-by, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-09-16

[craigt3365]

Best of luck to those living in CM...seriously...

[dru2]

'Sunday's programme will kick off with a march on Khu Mueang Road along the Chiang Mai moat, featuring a mock execution of those responsible for the May 19 crackdown on the red shirts in Bangkok'.

Nice and peaceful then.

And where is Khu Mueang Road by the moat?

[hyperdimension]

featuring a mock execution of those responsible for the May 19 crackdown on the red shirts in Bangkok

This is basically saying that they will act out executions of soldiers.

[Insight]

featuring a mock execution of those responsible for the May 19 crackdown on the red shirts in Bangkok

This is basically saying that they will act out executions of soldiers.

I look forward to seeing a mock Thaksin along with mock Chavalit's goons on the slab.

[rubl]

"The rally is designed to promote the people's struggle against the coup and Thaksin will have no involvement in it because he has suffered enough as a political victim," Sriwan Chanpong, one of the organisers, said yesterday.

K. Thaksin may have no time also. One or two weeks ago he said he had to work to feed his kids. Tough when you have only US$ 390 million left and your kids have expensive shopping habits.

What about those few hundreds of poor red-shirts still in jail awaiting to be indicted, charged or freed. Some red-shirts already found the time and compassion to help them ? The UDD leaders seem to have enough help from PTP and various lawyers hired.

When will the red-shirts come with a real program to help move country and people forward, rather than lamenting the 2006 coup and their lost leader K. Thaksin. Don't they know what to do without him ?

Edited September 16, 2010 by rubl

[craigt3365]

"The rally is designed to promote the people's struggle against the coup and Thaksin will have no involvement in it because he has suffered enough as a political victim," Sriwan Chanpong, one of the organisers, said yesterday.

K. Thaksin may have no time also. One or two weeks ago he said he had to work to feed his kids. Tough when you have only US$ 390 million left and your kids have expensive shopping habits.

What about those few hundreds of poor red-shirts still in jail awaiting to be indicted, charged or freed. Some red-shirts already found the time and compassion to help them ? The UDD leaders seem to have enough help from PTP and various lawyers hired.

When will the red-shirts come with a real program to help move country and people forward, rather than lamenting the 2006 coup and their lost leader K. Thaksin. Don't they know what to do without him ?

Last report I read showed he still had over a billion...stashed away in various places. But even $390 million is not bad!

[rubl]

Last report I read showed he still had over a billion...stashed away in various places. But even $390 million is not bad!

The US$ 390 million is from the latest Forbes report. They use 'official' and/or 'verifiable' sources and figures.

[Robby nz]

Keynote speakers including former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan will rouse the crowd from 6pm to midnight

Listening to those two for six hours should send everyone home or insane.

Wonder if the police will be able to trace the calls from Jakrapob and Arisman.

Arisman at least will likely talk for some time so there should be plenty of opportunity for a trace if it is possible.

[rubl]

Keynote speakers including former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan will rouse the crowd from 6pm to midnight

Listening to those two for six hours should send everyone home or insane.

Wonder if the police will be able to trace the calls from Jakrapob and Arisman.

Arisman at least will likely talk for some time so there should be plenty of opportunity for a trace if it is possible.

Home or insane? After months of speeches from the red stage in BKK, broadcasted live and re-run for posterity on PTV, some need their daily dose

[Buchholz]

Last report I read showed he still had over a billion...stashed away in various places. But even $390 million is not bad!

The US$ 390 million is from the latest Forbes report. They use 'official' and/or 'verifiable' sources and figures.

The 390 is close, but it's Billions, not millions, and Baht, not dollars... In dollars, that's nearly US$13,000,000,000

A source has said the Center for Resolution of Emergency Situations or CRES has discovered that Thaksin Shinawatra has some 300 to 400 billion baht worth of assets.

Thaksin is suspected of funding the movement of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship that ended with riots and arson attacks.

The source added that CRES has information that shows Thaksin's wealth is scattered around the world in different forms. Some of his wealth is said to be earned through nominees.

A part of his remaining wealth generated from baht value speculation after the baht was floated in 1997 is believed to be in Singapore.

He owns a joint venture that operates a satellite concession in India and another joint venture with a telecommunication firm under Temasek Holdings of Singapore.

The source said Thaksin receives one million U.S. dollars in profit from a mobile phone business in China and earns billions through his nominee in Dubai.

He receives more income from funds in Kuwait and telecommunication businesses in Myanmar and Cambodia.

He is believed to be generating 4 to 5 billion baht in profits a year, and has in total 400 billion baht worth of total wealth. The sum is not a part of the 76 billion baht worth of seized assets.

June 29, 2010

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1031435

[rubl]

Last report I read showed he still had over a billion...stashed away in various places. But even $390 million is not bad!

The US$ 390 million is from the latest Forbes report. They use 'official' and/or 'verifiable' sources and figures.

The 390 is close, but it's Billions, not millions, and Baht, not dollars... In dollars, that's nearly US$13,000,000,000

The official amount as quoted by Forbes is US$ 390 million (THB 13 billion). What others want to add to that is up to them. As it's a habit of really rich people (amply rich?) to hide some of their wealth I wouldn't be surprised if K. Thaksin had a wee bit more than the official figures. I guess I pay more tax in Thailand than he does

[Buchholz]

The US$ 390 million is from the latest Forbes report. They use 'official' and/or 'verifiable' sources and figures.

The 390 is close, but it's Billions, not millions, and Baht, not dollars... In dollars, that's nearly US$13,000,000,000

The official amount as quoted by Forbes is US$ 390 million (THB 13 billion). What others want to add to that is up to them. As it's a habit of really rich people (amply rich?) to hide some of their wealth I wouldn't be surprised if K. Thaksin had a wee bit more than the official figures. I guess I pay more tax in Thailand than he does

Doubt the Forbes amount (and they are the first to disclaim theirs is an "official" amount) includes the shenanigans like:

earns billions through his nominee in Dubai.

Anyway you look at it, 13 Billion Dollars buys more than a few nice blood diamond mines. It can easily finance a war.

[newermonkey]

"Thaksin will have no involvement in it because he has suffered enough as a political victim" Oh poor thing ! what about the political victims he has created? ie. the people who have to suffer these red morons.

Sure he is still funding these Moo Dang.

Thaksin has vast amounts of "undeclared" billions still.

[Piengrudee]

To catch them, just trace the phone line to their hide out.

[mccw]

So the reds are calling for a welfare state now? Isn't that what the government are trying to get on with , but reds and ptp trying to sabotage it. There are price garantees already in place; before the last lot of protests the head of the farmers union actualy said no need to protest as the gov had already agreed the 11,000bht per ton rice what they asked for!

[JetsetBkk]

The 390 is close, but it's Billions, not millions, and Baht, not dollars... In dollars, that's nearly US$13,000,000,000

<snip>

He is believed to be generating 4 to 5 billion baht in profits a year, and has in total 400 billion baht worth of total wealth. The sum is not a part of the 76 billion baht worth of seized assets.

June 29, 2010

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1031435

So, basically, he's not doing too badly then.

[Buchholz]

The 390 is close, but it's Billions, not millions, and Baht, not dollars... In dollars, that's nearly US$13,000,000,000

<snip>

He is believed to be generating 4 to 5 billion baht in profits a year, and has in total 400 billion baht worth of total wealth. The sum is not a part of the 76 billion baht worth of seized assets.

June 29, 2010

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1031435

So, basically, he's not doing too badly then.

Having hair stylists that come with the advanced degrees necessary to properly trim oddly-shaped cuboid craniums doesn't come cheap.

[Bagwan]

To catch them, just trace the phone line to their hide out.

I wonder why the BiB didn't come up with that idea?  Thank you for supplying a moment of light relief.

[asiawatcher]

Judging by his asset strength he has probably lost enough, what with asset seizures, cash losses, poor investments and funding terrorism. I mean the poor dear! He needs to rest up from his globe trotting and has probably had enough of the red game now. They have not produced results to get him back in so it would be fair to surmise another poor investment!

How a guy can go down from 6bn to 390M give or take a billion, shows without theft of a country's coffers, he ain't the financial genius he would have us all believe. Sounds like he needs to be back in politics and Hun Sen saw him coming and was not willing to share the Cambo pie. Maybe Laos will take him. Then all the red shirts can shift over there and let Thailand get on with being a great place to live.

[craigt3365]

Judging by his asset strength he has probably lost enough, what with asset seizures, cash losses, poor investments and funding terrorism. I mean the poor dear! He needs to rest up from his globe trotting and has probably had enough of the red game now. They have not produced results to get him back in so it would be fair to surmise another poor investment!

How a guy can go down from 6bn to 390M give or take a billion, shows without theft of a country's coffers, he ain't the financial genius he would have us all believe. Sounds like he needs to be back in politics and Hun Sen saw him coming and was not willing to share the Cambo pie. Maybe Laos will take him. Then all the red shirts can shift over there and let Thailand get on with being a great place to live.

If I am not mistaken, he did pretty bad in business during his early years...and of course he came from a rich family. Wikipedia does a good history of him. He didn't really make money until he became a cop...and then really made money as a politician.

Now, I am sure you are right and he is losing it....especially as he has to make investments in all those countries "willing" to provide him a passport. I wonder how much that one in Uganda cost?